Student accused of assaulting resource officer, possessing marijuana

A Carteret County high school student remained in jail Tuesday morning accused of getting into a scuffle with a school resource officer and fleeing campus with marijuana found in his possession.

JANNETTE PIPPIN - Daily News Staff

MOREHEAD CITY – A Carteret County high school student remained in jail Tuesday morning accused of getting into a scuffle with a school resource officer and fleeing campus with marijuana found in his possession.

Justin Hudnell, 17, of Newport, was arrested by Morehead City Police Department Monday and charged with assault on a law enforcement officer; resist, obstruct and delay; possession with intent to sell, manufacture and deliver marijuana; and stealing criminal evidence, said Maj. Garland Terry.

The resisting arrest and assault charges are misdemeanor offenses while the other two charges are felonies.

Terry said Hudnell was allegedly found with marijuana on campus and was in the office of West Carteret High School Resource Officer Franklin Rice when the incident occurred.

“SRO Franklin Rice was investigating drugs of campus with Justin when a struggle ensured,” Terry said. “Justin tried to grab the evidence and got into a struggle, and during the fight or tussle Franklin got punched,”

Hudnell was able to get away from the school resource officer and ran from campus.

The police department used its K-9 officer and his dog, Knox, to track the teen from the school campus, which is located near the intersection of Bridges Street Extension and Country Club Road.

Hudnell was found in a wooded area off Bridges Street Extension across from campus.